LOREN
As Phoebe failed to smile, Loren attempted his own, though it was similarly unsuccessful. "Alright. Not every time. Just like, half," he quipped, hoping she'd understand he was joking. However, his tone grew more serious soon enough. "I'd like that too."
When she responded to his doubts, even his tentative smile slipped away. "I did. And then I listed all the reasons I thought you...anyone would be unhappy with me." Frowning, he started fidgeting with his hands. However, he stilled as she kept speaking. "That's where I get stuck. The...changing the worst parts of myself." His hung his head in shame.
Shaking his head more than a bit sadly, he sighed. "Not in my experience, they don't." Rubbing his forehead, he lifted his head, letting it thunk into the tree uncaringly. "But maybe it's just because I wasn't working through it. Not hard or fast enough." Shrugging, still sounding and looking guilty, he bit his lip. "The only person who did actually put up with me, for a while at least was...Remi. And I royally fucked that up, screwed things up beyond repair."
When she responded to his doubts, even his tentative smile slipped away. "I did. And then I listed all the reasons I thought you...anyone would be unhappy with me." Frowning, he started fidgeting with his hands. However, he stilled as she kept speaking. "That's where I get stuck. The...changing the worst parts of myself." His hung his head in shame.
Shaking his head more than a bit sadly, he sighed. "Not in my experience, they don't." Rubbing his forehead, he lifted his head, letting it thunk into the tree uncaringly. "But maybe it's just because I wasn't working through it. Not hard or fast enough." Shrugging, still sounding and looking guilty, he bit his lip. "The only person who did actually put up with me, for a while at least was...Remi. And I royally fucked that up, screwed things up beyond repair."
look at how a single candle can both
defy and define the darkness
defy and define the darkness
